the latest preelection polling in ohio-- the second-biggest battleground state-- shows president obama with a ten-point lead over mitt romney, 53% to 43%. dean reynolds is in the buckeye state tonight with the voters. dean? >> reporter: scott, back in 2008, nearly 30% of ohio's more than seven million voters cast their ballots before election day, and the campaigns this time around would love to see them increase that percentage. >> three, two, one! (cheers and applause). >> reporter: what some are calling election month began in ohio promptly at 8:00 a.m. some voters had overnighted in the parking lot outside a columbus polling place. >> i think there's been a lot of controversy about early voting. >> reporter:'m reld hernandez was there bright and early. >> for me it's a convenience, i can come in and get it done. >> reporter: you spent the night, though, to be one of the very first. >> i did. i was pretty excited. i thought why not? it's something different. i can say once in my life i camped out to vote. >> reporter: the names of the early voters are reported by the county board of